Top 7 Factors Driving No-Code Maintenance Costs

No-code development promises speed and affordability, but maintenance costs can catch creators off guard. From subscription tiers to API upkeep, understanding the seven key cost drivers helps you budget smarter and avoid financial surprises as your app scales.

One effective way to manage these expenses is choosing a platform with transparent, consolidated pricing. Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. By bundling hosting, updates, and deployment into predictable subscription tiers, Adalo helps eliminate scattered maintenance costs that traditionally consume 15–20% of development budgets annually.

What matters most is app success—launching quickly as an MVP and reaching the biggest audience possible through app store distribution and push notifications. Here's what drives ongoing costs.

Building a no-code app might seem cost-effective initially, but maintenance costs can quickly add up. From subscription fees to scaling charges, understanding these expenses is critical for effective budgeting. Here’s a breakdown of the 7 main cost drivers for no-code apps:

• Platform Subscription Fees: Costs grow with app complexity and user base, starting at $45/month and scaling up to $250/month for enterprise features.
• Usage-Based Scaling Charges: Increased user activity can spike costs for database storage, bandwidth, and app actions.
• Add-Ons and Premium Integrations: Extra features like payment gateways or automation tools can cost $20–$750/month or more.
• Support and Priority Assistance: Faster support options start at $200/month, ensuring quicker issue resolution for critical apps.
• Third-Party API Maintenance: APIs often require updates, with costs averaging $5,000 annually for upkeep and subscriptions.
• App Store and Deployment Fees: Apple charges $99/year, while Google requires a one-time $25 fee, plus potential costs for resubmissions.
• Hidden Overruns and Updates: Unexpected updates, like policy changes or new OS versions, can lead to unplanned expenses.

Key takeaway: Budget for these factors to avoid surprises, especially during scaling or compliance updates.

1. Platform Subscription Fees

Platform subscription fees are a core part of your app's ongoing costs. Unlike traditional apps, which often come with hefty upfront costs and unpredictable maintenance expenses, no-code apps rely on steady monthly or annual fees. These fees, however, aren’t fixed - they grow alongside your app as it evolves from a simple prototype into a production-ready application with active users. As your app’s features expand and your user base grows, so do the associated costs.

No-code platforms typically use a tiered pricing model. For instance, Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. Adalo provides a free tier for initial testing, but it comes with limited database records and no access to custom domains or app store publishing. When you're ready to launch, you'll need at least the Starter plan, which costs $45/month (or $36/month if billed annually). This plan allows you to publish one app with a custom domain and deploy it to both iOS and Android. If your needs grow - like publishing multiple apps, collaborating with team members, or adding advanced features such as geolocation - you'll need to upgrade to higher tiers, such as Professional ($65/month), Team ($200/month), or Business ($250/month) plans.

Moving from a prototype to a fully functional production app often requires upgrades. Features like removing platform branding, connecting a custom domain, or submitting your app to app stores typically demand higher-tier plans. Additionally, as your app scales, you may hit usage limits (e.g., database size, app actions, or file storage), prompting a move to a more advanced tier. To prepare for this growth, it’s wise to budget an extra 15–20% during the initial scaling phase. Opting for annual billing can also save you around 20%.

"Adalo has helped me to speed up this project at such a low cost that it's crazy. I am able to fulfill my dreams in half the time & that is the largest cost-benefit." - Alexandrina Mabonga, Maker of Sunscreen

One of the key advantages of subscription fees is how they consolidate costs that would otherwise be scattered and unpredictable. Traditional app maintenance often consumes 15–20% of the original development budget each year. This includes separate expenses for hosting, security updates, OS compatibility fixes, and bug patches. With Adalo, these costs are bundled into your monthly subscription, potentially cutting maintenance expenses by up to 80%. Up next, we’ll explore how usage-based scaling charges can influence your long-term costs.

2. Usage-Based Scaling Charges

Usage-based charges grow alongside user activity. These costs - covering things like database storage, bandwidth, and API calls - can sometimes spike unexpectedly as your app gains traction. Unlike fixed subscription plans, usage-based pricing adjusts based on actual activity, making it tougher to predict your monthly expenses.

The key here is understanding how platforms measure usage. Each platform has its own method - some track workload units, while others count individual actions. For example, Adalo uses Monthly App Actions as its main metric. Every time a user clicks a button that updates data or triggers a workflow, it adds to your monthly total. On Adalo's Starter plan, you get 10,000 actions per month, while the Business plan offers 500,000 actions. If your app suddenly gains popularity or attracts more users than expected, you might hit these limits faster than planned.

Storage and bandwidth bring similar challenges. As users upload photos, save records, or stream content, your storage needs increase. Adalo's storage options range from 5GB on the Starter plan to 500GB on the Business plan, per team. Apps with media-heavy content - like social networks or online stores with lots of product images - may run into these limits quickly, forcing you to upgrade to avoid extra fees.

To keep costs under control, it’s wise to add an extra 15–20% to your initial budget for potential scaling surprises. Use Adalo's "Usage and Billing" dashboard to track your metrics and set alerts as you approach your limits. Staying on top of these numbers is crucial because scaling costs can escalate quickly.

Cloud-based hosting works similarly - it scales automatically with demand but comes at a price. Hosting fees typically range from $70 to $320 per month. The upside? You eliminate the hassle of managing infrastructure manually, which is often required in traditional development. Being aware of these charges will help you plan for long-term expenses effectively.

3. Add-Ons and Premium Integrations

Base subscriptions often provide just the essentials, leaving out advanced features like payment processing, detailed analytics, or external database connections. To access these, you'll likely need premium integrations, which can quickly transform a straightforward monthly fee into a more complex stack of subscriptions. These add-ons not only increase your overall costs but also affect ongoing maintenance expenses.

For example, automation tools like Zapier can range from $20 to $750 per month, depending on usage. External backend services such as Xano typically cost between $85 and $500 monthly. If you need specialized UI components, you might face either one-time or recurring charges. Custom API development is another expense, priced at $50 to $150 per hour, while data migration services can range from $500 to $5,000 for a one-time setup.

As your needs grow, so do your expenses. What starts as a simple solution can evolve into a stack of integrations as you scale to meet user demands. Payment gateways, CRM tools, and notification services each come with their own fees. Traditional custom integrations can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000 per connection, and feature upgrades or new integrations may add $3,000 to $10,000 annually, depending on their complexity.

Adalo helps streamline this process by offering built-in integrations for popular services like Stripe, Airtable, and Google Sheets. This eliminates the need for extra middleware in many common scenarios. For e-commerce features, U.S. Stripe rates apply, with a standard fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction.

To avoid surprises, it’s a good idea to set aside an additional 15–20% of your base subscription cost to cover these add-ons. Up next, we’ll explore how support and priority assistance can further influence your ongoing expenses.

4. Support and Priority Assistance

No-code platforms generally provide basic support through community forums and documentation. However, when your app becomes mission-critical, relying on these options might not be enough. To minimize downtime, many businesses opt for premium support plans, which can significantly cut response times - often from three days to just 24 hours.

Standard support usually operates through email ticketing systems, with response times of 2–3 business days. For faster assistance, platforms like Adalo offer premium support starting at around $200/month, which includes 1-day service-level agreements (SLAs) and priority support channels. For enterprises requiring more tailored solutions, business-tier plans at $250/month often include dedicated account managers who assist with custom security setups and compliance needs. This quick turnaround is crucial, especially since 88% of users abandon apps after encountering bugs or glitches.

If a three-day delay in fixing a bug costs more than the $135–$200 monthly fee for premium support, upgrading becomes a cost-effective choice. Agencies handling multiple client apps and enterprises managing internal tools often find these higher-tier plans essential as they advance beyond simple MVPs.

For businesses that don’t require constant premium support, hiring platform experts on an hourly basis - typically $50–$150/hour - can be a more economical option than committing to a high-tier subscription. The key is to align your support plan with the criticality of your app: stick with community resources during development, but consider at least a 2-day SLA for production environments.

Up next: third-party API maintenance costs.

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5. Third-Party API Maintenance

No-code apps often depend heavily on external services like Stripe, Google Maps, email delivery, and push notifications. While these integrations are essential, they can quickly add up in maintenance costs. On average, businesses spend about $5,000 annually on maintaining API integrations, with roughly $4,000 per year going toward third-party service subscriptions.

API pricing models vary widely. Take Stripe, for example - it charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction in the U.S.. Meanwhile, infrastructure services like email delivery, push notifications, error monitoring, server logging, and file storage typically start at around $100 per month before scaling. Middleware costs, which connect your platform to external tools, can range from $9 to over $750 per month depending on the volume of automation required.

One challenge with APIs is that providers can unexpectedly change pricing or phase out older versions. This can leave builders scrambling to adapt. Platforms like Adalo automatically manage core infrastructure updates, but if you're using REST APIs, you might need to manually update connections when providers revise their documentation or endpoints. In such cases, hiring a developer - at rates of $50–$150 per hour - might be necessary to troubleshoot and make updates.

To avoid these pitfalls, it’s smart to monitor your usage during the development phase. A proof of concept can help you estimate API call volumes before committing to a pricing tier. Many businesses realize too late that their free middleware tier can't handle production traffic, forcing them to upgrade immediately. Keeping track of your infrastructure "micro-costs" each month can also prevent small charges from snowballing into hefty annual expenses as your user base grows.

6. App Store and Deployment Fees

When budgeting for app maintenance, deployment fees are another cost to keep in mind. Publishing a no-code app on mobile platforms comes with developer account fees. For instance, Apple requires an annual payment of $99 for its Apple Developer Program. This fee is necessary to keep your app available on the App Store, and if you don't renew, your app will be removed. On the other hand, Google charges a one-time fee of $25, allowing unlimited app submissions.

Although neither platform charges for updates, the review process can introduce extra, often hidden, costs. Apple's approval process is known for being strict and can take anywhere from a few days to several months. If your app is rejected, you'll need to spend additional time on development and resubmission. Google's process is generally quicker, with reviews taking just hours to a few days. However, if your app violates policies, you could face rejection cycles that might cost between $100 and $500 in testing and development time.

No-code apps often need 2–4 resubmissions annually to stay compatible with iOS and Android updates. These resubmissions can delay launches and add hidden expenses. Traditional app development might incur costs of $5,000–$30,000 per year for these updates, but platforms like Adalo help automate much of this process.

To manage costs effectively, plan for Apple's $99 annual fee and consider starting with Google Play to gather user feedback while navigating Apple's longer review timeline. Timing updates around major OS releases can also help reduce testing and deployment cycles.

7. Hidden Overruns and Updates

Unexpected costs tied to maintenance can quickly add up. For instance, between May 2026 and April 2026, a New York-based fintech company had to shell out an additional $38,000 for PCI-DSS updates due to changes in Stripe’s policies, along with $12,000 for adjustments required by App Store and Google Play compliance rules. These updates were essential to keep their app functional and compliant, but they underline just how unpredictable maintenance expenses can be.

Third-party API updates often demand immediate attention. When platforms like Stripe or Google Maps change their methods, critical app functionalities may break, requiring urgent fixes. In 2026, a travel-tech startup in Berlin faced a GeoIP bug caused by GDPR location masking updates, which disrupted 12% of their user sessions. They had to act fast to patch the issue. Similarly, iOS 18 introduced new background location permissions that interfered with real-time maps for a food delivery app, forcing the company to deploy an emergency fix within a day to restore their delivery-tracking feature. These examples highlight the importance of preparing for unexpected updates, especially as operations scale and pricing models evolve.

"Maintenance is the work that keeps your code standing when those tectonic plates shift." - Olga Gubanova, Ptolemay

Apple and Google have also increased the frequency of their store policy updates, now rolling out changes roughly every quarter. Apps that don’t meet the latest tracking or disclosure requirements risk being removed from their platforms - even if they had previously passed review. On top of that, many services are moving from flat monthly fees to usage-based pricing models, often measured in metrics like "Workflow Units" or "App Actions." This shift can lead to unexpected billing spikes as user activity grows.

To manage these challenges, it’s a good idea to overbudget your first year by about 50% to account for growth-related adjustments and policy-driven updates. Conduct quarterly reviews of SDK upgrades and monitor usage metrics closely to catch overage charges early. Tools like Adalo can also help by automating cross-platform compatibility updates, minimizing the manual effort needed when iOS or Android release new versions.

Conclusion

No-code maintenance costs extend far beyond just a monthly subscription fee. The seven factors discussed - platform subscription costs, usage-based scaling, add-ons and premium integrations, support and priority assistance, third-party API upkeep, app store and deployment fees, and hidden overruns or updates - can all influence your long-term financial planning. By understanding these elements, you can transform unpredictable expenses into a manageable, subscription-based budget.

In comparison, traditional maintenance often eats up 15–20% of a development budget every year. Adalo simplifies this by bundling updates, infrastructure, and deployment into a single flat fee. The ability to publish one app across web, iOS, and Android platforms drastically reduces costs. With transparent pricing starting at $45/month (or $36/month if billed annually) for unlimited app actions, Adalo makes budgeting straightforward. Plus, essentials like built-in databases, user authentication, SSL certificates, and global CDN distribution are included, eliminating surprise expenses for hosting or security maintenance.

Related Blog Posts

• 5 Steps to Monetize Your No-Code Mobile Application
• How Hard Is It To Publish To the App Stores? And Maintain The Apps?
• What To Do With Your Vibe-Coded Prototype? Build, Launch, Monetize
• 5 Metrics to Track No-Code App Performance

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